Multiple head drum lift unit

Abstract

Multiple head drum clamping attachment for attachment to a lifting device such as a lift truck for lifting and transporting barrels or drums and particularly lightweight fiber drums having beads extending about each end thereof. The clamping attachment comprises a transverse bar having clamping heads pivotally mounted on each end for limited pivotal movement about parallel vertical axes to conform the clamping head to the contour of the drum. The transverse bar may be supported on the vertical mast of a lift truck on pairs of parallel spaced links attached to a universal support, supporting the transverse bar for limited movement in vertical and horizontal planes relative to the links to conform the clamping attachments to a selected drum and its top bead. The links are biased outwardly with respect to the mast and the clamping attachments each include a casing and clamping jaws carried in the casing. Engagement of the lower clamping jaw with the drum and upward lifting movement thereof brings the lower of said jaws under the bead of the drum and the upper of the jaws within the bead of the drum to effect upward lifting movement of the drum upon upward movement of the mast. Stops are provided to limit outward pivotal movement of the clamping attachments about vertical axes and to assure that the clamping attachments conform to drums of varying diameters and to beads of various forms and lift a selected drum without damaging its bead.

I claim as my invention 
     
       1. For use with a lift rruck having a vertically movable mast for gripping and lifting drums, each having a bead at each end thereof and extending thereabout, a pair of drum gripping attachments each having a lower gripping jaw for gripping beneath the top bead of a drum and an upper gripping jaw cooperating with said lower gripping jaw and gripping within the top bead of a drum, transverse support means adjustably mounting said drum gripping attachments on said mast in laterally spaced relation with respect to each other for movement about a horizontal axis extending between said gripping attachments to conform to a drum having a non-uniform bead and for vertical movement with said mast, and means pivotally mounting said gripping attachments at opposite ends of said transverse support means for movement about parallel vertical axes to conform to the circumferential surfaces of drums of various diameters. 
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1 wherein means are provided on said transverse support means for limiting pivotal movement of said gripping attachments relative to said transverse support means. 
     
     
       3. The devide of claim 2 wherein said transverse support means is also pivotally movable about a vertical axis intermediate the ends of said transverse support means and perpendicular to the axes of mounting said gripping attachments on said transverse support means. 
     
     
       4. A drum handling attachment for lift trucks and the like having a vertically movable mast, a pair of laterally spaced drum gripping attachments, each having a lower gripping jaw for gripping beneath the top bead of a drum and an upper gripping jaw cooperating with said lower gripping jaw and gripping within the top bead of a drum, a transverse support member carried by said vertically movable mast and having a drum gripping attachment at each end thereof, a vertical frame structure having a cradle at its lower end and extending from said mast equal distances in opposite directions to engage the wall of a drum to be lifted, a slide adjustable along said vertical frame structure, means retaining said slide in position on said vertical frame structure, said transverse support member extending transversely of said slide equal distances in opposite directions, a pair of generally parallel links mounting said transverse support member on said slide, one of said gripping attachments being mounted at each end of said transverse support member for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, means yieldably biasing said transverse support member and gripping attachments in outwardly extended relation with respect to said vertical frame structure and said gripping attachments in outwardly extended relation with respect to said slide and to yield toward said slide upon engagement of said gripping attachments with the periphery of a drum, and the means mounting said transverse support member on said parallel links comprising a universal support. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the transverse support member is a bar forming a part of said universal support and mounted at its transverse center for limited movement about a horizontal axis. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a vertical pivot pin mounts said universal support between said parallel links, and a transversely extending slot forms a mounting for said bar. 
     
     
       7. The gripping means of claim 5 wherein stop means extends across said each end of said bar and bosses at the outer ends of said bar form mountings for said gripping attachments. 
     
     
       8. The gripping means of claim 4 wherein the mounting of said universal support on said slide includes two pairs of generally parallel links.